Kitty Towers

Look what I built for my kitties! It was about 40 dollars in raw materials, and about 10 hours of build time. The biggest chunks were the fabric which was roughly half the cost, and putting the sisal on, which was roughly a 35% of the build time.

What have you built for your cats? I'd be interested in seeing some images for future ideas!

BTW, yes, that is one of my cats sleeping on the corner of my desk. Their favorite place to sleep is decidedly the purr pad, but the love playing on the towers too!

WOW, that looks great. Now, if my Dad would only give me the tools I've been asking for for the past few Christmases....

Honestly, I used a minimum of tools. The branches and the base were all precut thick particle board. I had a 2x4 sawed in half at Home Depot. I used a staple gun for certain places on the Sisal, and a glue gun for the rest. It was remarkably easy. Those things you see hanging off the platforms are an empty toilet paper roll and paper towel roll, respectively. IT was a highly rewarding project, and I feel the appreciation from the kitties for making it, in some small way

They look such fun and I love the fabric they've been covered in!!!

Once all the DIY is done around the house (when is it ever DONE?), I think I need to get hubbs working on a THREE branch tree - one for each kitty!

I have a sneaky feeling they will love it

That is awesome! I love your choice of fabrics. Looks like your kitties love it too.

Snipboy, that is really neat! Good job!

What a fantastic idea!
Thank you for sharing it with the rest of us!

Hey Snipboy, you should go into business. I know of at least 100 people around here who would do anything for their furbabies to have one of those! (Me included) :laughing: :laughing2

Good one snipboy - that looks great!!! I love the design and the material is fantastic! My hubby designs and builds catstands (boring compared to yours though ) so I've attached a pic of one of my favourites from his collection.....

snipboy, would you be able to post some basic instructions for making the tower? I'd love to have a go! :tounge2:

Well, let's see here.

1 2x4 cut in half. Home Depot will do this no charge
1 large round particle board. You can get two for the base for extra stability.
5 small round particle boards
3 shelf hinges
150 yards of sisal rope
2 yards of dalmatian fabric (I found mine at Wal Mart for 6.95 a yard)
1 cheap bed egg crate pad
8 long, thick wood screws
1 long nail
18 short wood screws
1 package of staple gun staples
1 package of glue for glue gun

Tools

1 cordless drill
1 staple gun
1 glue gun
1 pair of sharp fabric scissors
1 hammer
1 friend to help you out

Instructions

Wrap the sisal rope to the 2 x 4s and staple at every half foot or so with the staple gun. You can choose how high you want the sisal to go.

Predrill the bottom base particle board in the middle, with the size of the small particle board rounds separating the 2 x 4s.

Attach the shelving hinges to the 2 x 4s. They use the small screws.

Attach fabric above where the sisal length stops. Cut to your proportions.

With the small round particle boards, cut out some of the egg crate pads. Glue them to the rounds. Cut fabric to fit over the top and bottom of the small rounds with the egg crates on top. Glue to the sides and bottom. Use staples if you wish as well. We used staples to make it look plusher on the tops of the tower and in the middle round.

Attach finished small rounds to the branches only.

Attach the towers to the base at the predrilled holes. You'll need a friend to help you at this point.

Attach the middle round with shelf and hammer the long nail into it for extra stability at the other tower side.

Attach the top tower rounds.

Add hanging toys as you wish!

That's it in a nutshell. If you need more specifics let me know. Like I said, Home Depot had everything I needed and I didn't have to do any cutting.

TYVM! I will give it a go!